What the fuck is going on with SHRM?

I'm in my burn it down era.

Today, The Society for Human Resources Management announced that they’re removing “Equity” from what used to be their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy.

screenshot in case they decide to take down this embarrassment eventually

There can be no workplace advancement without Equity. And removing the “E” from your strategy just minimizes its visibility. Diversity and Inclusion isn’t enough. There are hundreds and hundreds of years of systemic inequity in the workplace; Equity must be a part of the equation.

To quote my friend Stephanie, “I am disappointed that an organization with this much power and influence in the HR and Employment space would make this choice to invest in a rebrand to appease a few versus making real change and supporting its members.”

Why does SHRM get to be the primary force lobbying for workplace change?

And while I’ll be the first to say that words matter, it’s not just about the acronym. SHRM has been failing to meet the needs of our changing workplaces for decades. Their certification program remains one of the most recognized in the industry (along with HRCI) - the gold standard for whether someone is qualified to do the role. And yet if you talk to anyone practicing modern HR, they’ll tell you the certification is unhelpful. Its most practical use case is getting those letters to put after your name to get a job, for employers who haven’t realized how useless they are.

It’s time for us to challenge the legacy. SHRM is not an inclusive, or even a safe space for the community they serve. Back in 2020, I noticed a more vocal opposition than I ever had before. HR leaders were disappointed, and they were speaking up. And they (we) still are. But we need to do more.

My not-so-secret goal with PeakHR is to unseat the legacy HR systems. To use what we’re building to dismantle the outdated and harmful practices in favor of trainings that can actually create more equitable and inclusive workplaces.

The most infuriating thing to me is that this isn’t just about an irrelevant company that overcharges for outdated certifications. SHRM has actual political influence, the power to impact real change, to fight for the kinds of changes at a government level that HR leaders are fighting for in the corporate sphere.

And yay, I’m glad they’re advocating for “a human-centered approach to workplace AI,” but when CEO Johnny C. Taylor recently shared that “SHRM is going to be in the room with whoever wins the White House,” it felt like a threat, not a promise.

And I was not comforted; I was angry. I am angry.

I don’t trust SHRM to write an appropriate blog post (I’m still reeling from their posts about appropriate workplace attire during the height of the pandemic). Why do they get to be the primary force lobbying for workplace change? How can we ever expect meaningful action to come from an organization that is so out of touch?

It’s up to us to create the change we want to see, and if SHRM can’t keep up with the complex and changing needs of today’s workers, then it’s time they were dethroned.

peakhrlearning.com